Hartman on Skeet

By Barney Hartman

Here at last is the definitive book on skeet shooting. The name of its author, Barney Hartman, is already a byword within North America's skeet shooting community. For novices, it's enough to say that during the last twenty years Hartman has carried off just about every major skeet shooting trophy on the continent. And now he tells in simple, easy-to-understand language just how he did it. Step by step in words and pictures he takes the reader through every conceivable aspect of skeet -- and then, having covered the fundamentals (which apply to trap shooting as well), he candidly reveals his own personal secrets of success.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stackpole Books
• Release date: Sep 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9780811766715

Book preview

reversed.

1.

What is skeet?

A skeet field consists of two trap houses facing each other forty-two yards apart. Seven shooting stations are located around the edge of a semi-circle with an eighth midway between the two trap houses. Saucer shaped clay targets 4¼" in diameter and an inch high are propelled from either house along fixed lines of flight by a mechanical trap. They cross over a point six yards outside of station eight commonly called the Crossing Point (refer to photos 1 & 2).

In still air these targets must travel a distance of at least fifty-five yards to the Target Distance Marker, and pass over the crossing point at a height approximately fifteen feet above the level of the field. The house on the left of the field is the high house, commonly called the Pull House, and the targets emerge through an opening ten feet above ground level. From the low house, commonly called the Mark House, targets emerge through an opening only 3½ feet above ground level. Twenty-five shots at twenty-five targets make a regulation round of skeet.

A squad consists of five shooters and each shooter in turn shoots at a target thrown from the high house and then one from the low house. Starting at station one directly in front of the high house the squad then proceeds around to stations two, three, four, five, six and seven. From these stations targets must be broken before they cross the boundary marker located at right angles out from the trap houses. The squad then moves to station eight where each shooter in turn shoots at a target from the high house and then a target from the low house. While shooting at this station, the targets must be broken before they pass over the crossing point. On returning to station one each shooter in turn then loads two shells to shoot doubles. Here the targets are released simultaneously and the shooter shoots at the high house outgoer first and then at the low house incomer. This is repeated at station two. The shooters then proceed to stations six and seven where they shoot at the low house outgoer and at the high house incomer. This accounts for twenty-four out of twenty-five shells and if the shooter has not missed a target he may then take either a high or low house target from whichever station he likes. Most shooters shoot either a high or low house target from station seven. Should a shooter miss a target in the round the optional shot is taken of the first target missed.

1. Simulated targets in flight

2. Skeet field layout

According to the rules a target is supposed to travel a minimum distance of fifty-five yards in still air and fifteen feet above field level at the target crossing point. One of the difficulties at most skeet fields is getting targets correctly thrown. Management and shooters fail to have proper regulation targets thrown; this occurs both during practice and at tournaments. In the winter months trap springs are adversely affected by the cold and unless they are tightened, the targets will fall far short of fifty-five yards. It is strongly recommended that this important responsibility of setting the targets correctly be given to knowledgeable shooters to ensure traps are properly maintained and set. With changes in wind direction and velocity further small changes are required in the traps to maintain the target on its flight-path. Remember, for distance, one of the stipulations is that the targets be set in still air. Targets can be thrown a full sixty-five yards and still be legal. If you set the traps to throw targets two to three yards past the fifty-five yard marker you can rest assured they will at least make the fifty-five yards even if thrown into a head wind of ten to fifteen m.p.h. Small electric heaters can be used on automatic traps – if they are turned on a half hour before shooting, targets will travel the regulation distance even in sub-zero temperature. When heaters are used it is not necessary to re-adjust the spring tension for winter shooting.

2.

Gun fit

3. Length of pull, drop at heel and comb, and pitch

You’ve probably read a lot on how a gun should fit, and you may even have been advised to go to a good gun maker to be measured for a stock. Don’t – it’s just a waste of money when you’re starting out. What’s right for you at first won’t fit after a year or so’s shooting. Consulting a gun fitter is only worth-while after you’ve had considerable shooting experience. For most skeet guns special stock fitting is out of the question. However, those who do wish to have special stocks made will need a Try Gun and a gun fitter. A try gun is nothing more or less than an ordinary gun fitted with a stock which can be adjusted laterally (cast), vertically (drop at comb and heel), lengthwise (as the name implies) and for pitch (muzzle down). To be measured for a gun is similar to being measured for a suit of clothes. The gun is required to be mounted several times and, after careful observation, the gun fitter will make several adjustments to the stock. Once he is satisfied, he will measure the stock and these measurements will be given to the stock maker who will turn out the finished product.

Some shooters blame the gun when their scores drop; they begin hacking away at their stocks, changing the drop or pitch, boring out the butt or adding weight to the fore-end. Some probably do not know what they are doing, but there are others who are mechanically inclined and by experimenting they learn a lot about the intricacies of proper gun fit. If you don’t experiment you will never find out. Your improvement will be slow and your scores will never be consistent. The factors that determine whether or not a shot-gun fits properly are all found in the stock. They are: (1) length of pull, (2) drop at heel, (3) drop a comb, (4) pitch down and (5) cast (refer to photo 3).

Length of Pull. The length of pull is the measured distance, usually in inches, from the centre of the butt or recoil pad to the front of the trigger. It is determined simply by the length of the stock. This measurement can be altered merely by cutting a piece off the butt or adding on a recoil pad. Skeet stocks usually come with 14 pull on automatics and pump guns, and 14¼ on some over and unders. Trap stocks on the other hand usually measure 14⅜".

The length of stock can only be found after a careful study on how the shooter positions his gun on his shoulder, and how he uses that shoulder in conjunction with head position while under actual shooting conditions. Have the shooter place the butt of the gun on his shoulder; it should fit in the crotch of the shoulder and not out toward the arm. Make sure that the heel of the butt is high enough and not away down on the chest. The right hand should grasp the pistol-grip and the left hand should be properly positioned on the fore-end. The comb of the stock should nestle against the face and beneath the right eye. If the shooter is right-handed he should be looking down the rib of the barrel or just above it. To do this, the head should be slightly forward. Now, by standing to the side of the shooter, measure the distance from the tips of the fingers of the right hand (preferably the little finger) to the tip of the nose. This distance should be not less than half an inch and not more than 1½ inches (refer to photos 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8). Don’t take just one measurement, have the shooter assume the proper shooting position several times and if possible observe him under actual shooting conditions before making final measurements. Remember different types of shooting clothes, thickness of shoulder pads and heavier clothing worn in winter will affect these measurements. You may sometimes see a shooter come in with a bruised nose or cheek because his thumb or fingers have been in close proximity. Improper gun-stock length which leads to these injuries will also often precipitate flinching. A long stock, on the other hand, will destroy good balance by throwing too much of the weight of the gun forward, thus creating stress in the forward arm. This makes the gun clumsy and uncomfortable to handle.

4. Gun stock too short; note nose and finger interference

5. Minimum length stock; approximately ½" clearance measured by one finger

6. Maximum length stock; approximately 1½" clearance measured by two fingers

7. Proper length of stock, shown without finger measurements

8. Stock too long; distance is 2-2½ from finger tips to nose

Usually a gun stock comes equipped with either a hard composition butt plate or a rubber recoil pad. To lengthen the stock, merely slip a few washers on the two screws between the stock and the butt plate (refer to photo 9). This is only temporary and the stock may be lengthened up to ¼ inch by this method. If this is found to be satisfactory a permanent fix can be obtained by fitting a ¼ inch piece of Perspex in lieu of the washers. If more length is required thicker Perspex or a rubber recoil pad may be added if not already fitted. To shorten a stock ¼ inch, simply remove the butt plate. Add or